


The King of Carrot Flowers

by Dollanganger



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Arranged Marriage, Flower Child Harry, Flower Crowns, Gardener Harry, M/M, Prince Louis, Royalty, larry - Freeform, larry stylinson - Freeform, lourry, lourry stylinson
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-24
Updated: 2013-10-01
Packaged: 2017-12-27 13:12:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/979333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dollanganger/pseuds/Dollanganger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summary: Arranged marriage (noun) - A marriage planned and agreed to by the families or guardians of the bride and groom, who have little or no say in the matter themselves.</p>
<p>After a long search for the most beautiful woman in the land, England's royal family is preparing for a momentous occasion. The King and Queen have arranged for their son, Prince Louis, to be married within a month's time to Eleanor, a young Berkshire girl, born and raised. With no choice, the Prince agrees to the arrangement and soon decides that perhaps an arranged marriage isn't so bad after all. That is, until a certain curly-haired boy is hired as Windsor Castle's new gardener.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> hi! i posted this story on Tumblr a while back, but recently took it down. i will be continuing it on here. thank you so much for reading, and if it isn't too much trouble i would love some constructive criticism! i'm always aiming to improve so if you have any suggestions, don't hesitate to leave a comment. i hope you enjoy my story :)  
> ALSO, THIS IS A PROLOGUE. NOT CHAPTER 1.

Skeptically, King Troy inspected the woman before him. The woman shifted her weight uneasily, flicking a wavy lock of hair from her shoulder. "Are you sure this is the one, my dear?" King Troy asked his Queen, turning his gaze upon her majesty.

"Positive," she nodded with an ecstatic grin. Walking briskly over to the girl, she motioned for her to spin around as she had done earlier. The woman nodded in understanding before twirling around, gracefully. As she spun, the girl's chocolate brown hair moved accordingly and once again, she was facing the older woman. "What's your name again, Miss?" Queen Jay questioned, finishing her once-over.

Straightening up a bit, the woman cleared her throat quietly and then spoke, "My name is Eleanor, your majesty. Eleanor Calder." Out of habit, Eleanor removed another lock of hair from her face and smiled nervously at the royal couple.

Queen Jay reciprocated the gentle expression before returning to her husband, King Troy's, side. "He'll love her," she finished. Immediately, the nerves left Eleanor's features and her brown eyes lit up with joy.

He ran a hand through his hair, still unsure of the woman before him. Eleanor hadn't come off as malicious or phony, and as far as he could tell she had natural beauty. In fact, the young brunette seemed like a fine choice, but King Troy knew his son well, and was finding it difficult the nagging uncertainty within him. Tearing his eyes from the girl, he glanced over at his wife who was biting her lip in order to repress an excited smile. The King's troubled expression softened some as his eyes were met with his wife's. He sighed, nodding in approval of the young woman. "Very well then," he mumbled.

"Terrific!" the Queen uttered as she clapped her hands together. Eleanor looked from the King to the Queen, standing before them awkwardly. Queen Jay threw open her arms, causing Eleanor to flinch which only made Jay chuckle. "Don't be shy darling!"

Eleanor's pink lips curled upward, revealing perfect teeth. She quickly made her way into the Queen's arms, wrapping her own around the older woman. "Thank you so much!" she said, hugging the Queen, but locking eyes with King Troy.

Eleanor observed that the King was visibly tense as his fingers found and pinched the bridge of his nose. Clenching his eyes shut, the man's old age became apparent to the girl as her brown-eyes traced over the King's features. Gray strands normally hidden within the King's chestnut mane now shimmered in the light streaming in from a nearby window, and the wrinkles that were hardly noticeable moments before had suddenly become more prominent.

Pulling away from Eleanor, Queen Jay gave the young woman's shoulders a gentle squeeze. "This is excellent! Oh, we have so much planning to do!" Jay exclaimed, finally releasing Eleanor from her grasp. King Troy's head shot up causing both Eleanor and the Queen to direct their attention onto his majesty. "Is something wrong, my love?" Queen Jay asked, moving over to her husband and cupping his face.

The King nodded slowly, relaxing at his wife's gesture. Carefully, he placed his large hands lightly over his Queen's and smiled. "Yes, dear. Everything is quite alright," he assured, moving a stray hair from her cheek. "Though, isn't it about time that we introduce our son to this lovely girl?" he asked, motioning toward Eleanor. The young brunette's face flushed at the royal compliment.

Jay's eyes widened and she threw her hands up in disbelief. "Why yes, of course! How silly of me," she giggled. The Queen turned to face Eleanor before continuing, "Eleanor, darling, won't you join us for dinner this evening?"

"I'd love to, your majesty! It would be an honor," Eleanor replied, placing a hand over her heart.

"Then it's settled," the King said pleasantly, lifting a small bell from a tiny end table. Moments later, a loud, but beautiful chime traveled throughout the occupied living room. The ringing didn't last for more than a few seconds when the heavy wooden doors swung open, allowing King Troy to take off, and revealing two people who appeared to be very different aside from one thing – their black and white uniforms.

The first to enter, by a measly nanosecond, was a woman who looked no older than Eleanor, herself. The next, was a man who appeared to be at least sixty years old. "Athena!" the Queen called. The woman responded by curtsying, her black hair acting as a veil. As she lifted her eyes to meet the Queen's, they appeared to be almost as dark as her hair.

"Yes, your highness?" Athena responded, politely.

"Would you be a doll and show this girl around?" Jay gestured toward Eleanor. "Start with the courtyard, yeah? Just make sure to keep out of the gardens. We just fired our gardener not too long ago and we haven't found a replacement yet. Meanwhile, our gardens have gone to hell in a hand-basket!" Queen Jay clasped a hand over her mouth as she burst into a fit of laughter.

Athena chuckled quietly to herself at the Queen's remark, placing a hand lightly onto Eleanor's back, guiding her to the courtyard. "Right this way, Miss," the servant instructed, leading the way.

"Have fun!" Jay called after them, waiting until the two girls were out of sight before sinking into the soft cushions of the living room couch. Eyes fluttering shut, Jay raised a hand and began massaging small circles into her temple.

After a moment of prolonged silence, the elderly man stepped forward and hesitated once more before clearing his throat.

"Oh!" Jay shot up from the couch, clutching her chest. As she caught sight of a familiar face, she felt relief wash over her. "Atticus! You frightened me, dear. What is it?" the Queen asked, collapsing back onto the cushions.

Atticus let out a low chuckle. "You rang?"

"Oh, yes!" Jay tilted her head backwards in order to lay eyes on the man. Adjusting to the strange view, the Queen took in the servant's upside-down form. His hair had grown whiter since they'd first hired him as their servant, but he wore it just as he had many years ago. The white strands had been skillfully slicked back without a single strand misplaced. The man blinked at the Queen, eyes an icy-blue; a heavyset of crows-feet acting as a reminder that the man was old and not getting any younger.

"How may I help you, my Queen?"

"Would you mind waking up Louis?" Jay asked, looking thoughtfully at Atticus. "Make sure he looks handsome before allowing him out of his room."

"What's the occasion, if you don't mind my asking," the elder questioned.

Jay flashed the servant a cheeky grin and replied, "Tell him that someone very special will be dining with us this evening."

"Who might this be?" Atticus pressed, curiosity swimming in his piercing, blue eyes.

"The brunette I had Athena escort to the courtyard, Eleanor." she explained, smile widening as she continued, "Troy and I have chosen her for Louis. She is to be his wife!"

"I see." He offered the Queen a warm smile before turning on his heel. "He'll be down shortly, your highness."

"You're the best!" Jay called after the white-haired man before re-positioning herself on the couch.

~~~

A low groan escapes the sleeping Prince, the familiar knock-knock-knocking at his bedroom door causing him to stir.

The knocking continued for what felt like hours in Louis' world, but only lasted a whole two minutes in reality. Suddenly, the knocking ceased and Louis peered out from beneath his duvet at the unopened door. He waited a whole minute, listening to the silence around him to ensure that he was free to fall back asleep. Louis relaxed into his mattress, falling back into a deep slumber as peace and quiet engulfed him.

Another knock, much louder this time, echoed throughout the room. Louis cursed under his breath, and pulled a pillow over his head as if that would block out the sound of his door being opened and heavy footsteps approaching his bed.

"Prince," a raspy voice muttered, and Louis didn't need to remove the pillow to know who had disturbed him.

"Go away, Atticus!" the Prince demanded, voice muffled by the mattress he was currently pressing his face into.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, sir. Your mother wants you to get up and get dressed. Today is a big day for you."

"Everyday is a big day for me," Louis huffed. Once again, there was silence.

"Are you awake, sir?" Atticus observed the royal child before him with an eyebrow raised. "Prince, you must wake up now. It's your mother's orders."

The Prince shifted, rolling onto his back and pushing away the pillow. "Wh-What's going on?" he croaked, voice rough with sleep as his cerulean eyes found Atticus.

The elder servant watched the sleepy Prince, chuckling at the tufts of sandy-brown hair that were sticking up in several places atop the younger lad's head. "We have a guest," he paused, making sure he had the Prince's full-attention. "A young woman. She will be joining you for dinner."

Louis sat up. "Who is "she"?" he asked, shooting Atticus an expectant look.

"Her name is Eleanor, sir," he paused again. "Your parents have arranged for the two of you to be married. She is essentially, your fiancee."


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS CHAPTER 1. apparently prologue's are unheard of on this site, though there is a prologue and will be an epilogue for this fic. so, the numbers will be a little off. hope you can deal :)

The dinner in which Eleanor was invited by the Queen had gone extremely well and it was fair to say, that for a while, Louis was no longer worried about his upcoming marriage. Over a meal of the finest lobster in all of England, a side-salad, and a small serving of tiramisu for dessert, Eleanor had managed to charm her way into each and every Tomlinson's heart.

First, the young brunette attempted to connect with the youngest Tomlinson's seated at the table, identical twins, Phoebe and Daisy.

"I don't suppose either of you still plays with dolls, do you?" Eleanor asked, bringing a forkful of the creamy dessert to her lips.

"Oh yes! We –," Phoebe started, eyes wide as her twin cut her off.

"We love dollies! We like dressing them up and –," Daisy continued before Phoebe returned the favor.

"And combing their pretty hair!" Phoebe finished, excitedly.

"Yeah!" Daisy nodded enthusiastically and then added, "Sometimes we like to cut all of their pretty hair off!"

Phoebe giggled and Eleanor smiled. The brunette shook her head in amusement, causing her hair to sway.

"Ooh, Eleanor! Your hair is pretty just like a doll!" Phoebe shouted in awe, pointing at the chocolate brown locks.

"Phoebe, inside voices," Jay reminded her child in a much softer tone.

The twin mouthed an apology before taking another bite of her tiramisu.

Eleanor's eyes followed the interaction between the mother and daughter.

"Thank you," the young woman commented, giving Phoebe a smile of gratitude.

Suddenly, Daisy spoke up, "Can we cut it?"

Eleanor looked up from her dessert and held up her pointer finger, signaling the girl to wait until her mouth was no longer full. Swallowing, the woman looked at Phoebe in confusion. "Cut what, love?"

Daisy tugged at a strand of her thin, blonde hair and answered, "Your hair."

The brunette's eyes widened at the insanity of the question. "I'm sorry, but I've been growing my hair for a very long time," she replied kindly, offering an apologetic smile.

The twins shared a look of disappointment, sinking further into their seats. Eleanor sensed their dissatisfaction almost immediately and within seconds of noticing their pained expressions, the young woman began to feel very guilty. An awkward silence fell around the royal family and their guest, but it didn't last long.

"But!" Eleanor started, determined to turn the twins' frowns upside-down. Phoebe was the first to sneak a glance at the guest and Daisy followed suit, hope swimming in their blue eyes. "I played with dolls too, when I was around your age. If I remember correctly, I packed them into a small box and stored the box on a shelf within my closet," the brunette explained. Daisy and Phoebe perked up in their chairs.

"Now, I'd say that I'm a little old to be playing with dolls, am I right?" Eleanor asked and the twins nodded their heads, furiously. The wavy-haired woman smiled. "Would either of you be interested in my old dolls? They've got way prettier hair than me," the brown-eyed girl said, tugging at a wavy strand of her own.

"Eleanoooor, please can we have your dollies?!" Daisy pleaded, poking out her bottom lip.

Phoebe mimicked her sister's expression, joining in, "Yeah, Eleanor! Can we have your dolls pleeeeaase?"

The young woman smiled and nodded. "Of course! I'll bring them over tomorrow, how does that sound?"

"Yay!" the twins cheered.

"Girls, what do you say?" the Queen questioned, raising a brow at both Phoebe and Daisy.

"Thank you, Eleanor!" the two shouted with wide grins.

"Daisy and Phoebe Tomlinson, what did I say about using inside voices?" the Queen reprimanded, giving her children a look of disapproval.

Despite Jay's criticism, the young blondes burst into a fit of giggles and Eleanor felt herself begin to laugh as well. It wasn't long before the rest of the table erupted in soft chuckles, all except for King Troy, who appeared to be sporting the ghost of a smile.

After dessert, King Troy retired for the night, leaving Louis to drown in a sea of estrogen. The Prince remained with the woman for a few minutes, messing with each of his sisters individually and sneaking glances at his fiancee from time to time. Between play-fights, the Prince was able to pick out a few things from the conversation being held across the grand table. Apparently, Eleanor adored children, knew how to transform a pigsty into a clean room, and was undecided on whether or not she wanted to wear her hair natural or spray it with sea salt in order to "give it a little something extra" for the fast-approaching matrimony.

It wasn't until his mother and fiancee began discussing seating arrangements that the Prince decided it was his turn to retire, growing tired of the girly conversations. Though his siblings, mainly the twins, protested his departure, Eleanor and Jay simply waved him off before carrying on with their planning. He couldn't have been more thankful.

~~~

Leaves rustled as a cool, crisp breeze blew over the castle grounds and into the Prince's bedroom window. Stirring beneath his duvet, Louis' eyes opened as his sun-kissed skin was met with the morning air. He attempted to rub the sleep from his blue orbs before exhaling deeply and glancing over to his bedside table, where a clock told him that it was nearly seven o' clock a.m.

The Prince groaned, bringing his hands to his hair as he forced the fringe from his forehead. It had been three days since Eleanor had been hurled into his life and he'd been having trouble sleeping ever since.

The young woman had taken the life of royalty by storm, having already adapted to the mostly unwanted attention that the family received and had developed an almost instant connection with Louis. The King, Queen, and all of England were shocked by the speed and grace in which she molded herself into the Tomlinson family's way of living and Eleanor remained humble whenever anyone were to compliment her on that.

Despite all of the above, something within the young Prince wasn't quite alright with the idea of his arranged marriage to Eleanor and it was really starting to affect his ability to fall and stay asleep.

After a long stretch, Prince Louis stared up at the ceiling blankly as he allowed himself to worry about the upcoming event. The troubled thoughts clouded his mind, making him feel as though someone had placed cinder blocks onto both of his lungs. He bit his lip as hot tears threatened to spill onto his tanned cheeks, searching within himself for an answer as to why he was feeling this horrid about marrying someone as seemingly perfect as Eleanor.

As a single tear made its way down the majestic boy's cheek, a voice that the Prince was not familiar with traveled, just as the morning breeze had, into his bedroom window from the courtyard's gardens below.

The voice was deep, slightly raspy, and sang a song that Louis had never heard before. Trying to place a face to the voice coming from the courtyard, Louis relaxed a little before closing his eyes and listening closely.

"When you were young, you were the king of carrot flowers.

And how you built a tower tumbling through the trees,

In holy rattlesnakes that fell all around your feet.

And your mom would stick a fork right into daddy's shoulder  


And dad would throw the garbage all across the floor

As we would lay and learn what each other's bodies were for."

Louis' brows furrowed as the beautiful voice began to grow quieter and further away and he quickly shot out of bed. When he reached the large window, the voice had faded completely as he looked out over the courtyard. Scanning the area, he noticed a basket of gardening tools placed beside an overgrown flowerbed and several clumps of grass that had been pulled up at the roots. The Prince stood in the window and waited, hoping to lay eyes on whomever's voice had put an end to Louis' tears.

Sighing, Louis began to grow impatient as more and more minutes passed and the owner of the soothing voice did not appear.

"What are you looking at?" Eleanor asked and Louis jumped.

Spinning around to face her, Louis replied, "Jesus, El! You can't sneak up on me like that!"

Eleanor giggled. She wrapped her arms around Louis' neck as she muttered, "Sorry, dear." Kissing the Prince's cheek, she smiled before peeking over his shoulder at whatever he had been looking at. "What was out there?" she asked, returning her gaze to Louis.

"Out where? Oh! Erm, nothing. I just thought I heard something, but it's gone now. So, yeah," Prince Louis finished, forcing a smile.

"Alright." Eleanor nodded in understanding, "Well, I made breakfast. Eggs Benedict is on the table and ready when you are."

Louis smiled at the gesture and pecked the brunette's lips. "Sounds delicious. I'll meet you down there, alright?"

Eleanor smiled and hurried out of the room, leaving Louis by himself. The blue-eyed boy ran a hand through his hair before turning to give the courtyard a final once-over.

Looking over the gardens, the Prince gasped as his eyes fell upon the flowerbed from before. The flowerbed, had been completely rid of the ugly weeds that once filled its soil, the clumps of grass had been removed from the area surrounding it, and the basket full of gardening tools had been moved as well. Frantically, Louis searched for someone, anyone, within the gardens and grew frustrated when no one appeared.

"Lou, are you coming down?" Eleanor called from the bottom of the stairs.

Louis frowned and shouted, "I'll be right there!"

Reluctantly, Louis tore himself from the window and moved over to his bedroom door. The smell of Eggs Benedict made his mouth water as he stepped out of his room and into the hallway. Pushing aside the nagging feeling that the mysterious voice had ignited, Louis trudged down the stairs and into the kitchen, where he was met by a basket of gardening tools and a pair of sparkling green eyes.


	3. Chapter 2, Pt. 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter will be divided into 2 parts. why? i'm not really sure. it was a last minute decision. also, this is chapter 2, pt. 1. NOT CHAPTER 3.

Walking into the kitchen, Louis took a quick glance around the busy room. Athena, was the first to catch his eye. The dark-haired woman was at the kitchen sink, scrubbing a pan vigorously. Queen Jay was next, standing beside the servant and advising that she "scrub with a little more elbow grease."

Moving on, Louis' gaze fell upon Phoebe and Daisy, who were sat on the kitchen floor. Surrounding the youngest Tomlinson's, was a small pile of doll hair, a pair of play scissors, and at least a dozen dolls that were either completely bald or weren't far from it. There was only one doll left with a full head of long, dark brown hair and it seemed to be the center of an argument. Nearby, Fizz was having her hair braided by Lottie, who was trying unsuccessfully to make the twin's share the doll.

Finally, there was Eleanor who had wrapped an arm around one of Louis' and was leading him toward the table. The table had been set prior to his arrival with plates, forks, and a serving of the Eggs Benedict was already situated on each plate.

Louis smiled at the arrangement and pecked the brunette's forehead. "It looks lovely, babe."

Eleanor grinned, triumphantly.

Tearing his gaze from the exquisite meal before him, something else caught Louis' eye. Seated at the table, was a boy that the Prince did not recognize.

"Who are you?" asked Prince Louis, studying the stranger with furrowed brows.

The boy lifted his gaze and pushed aside a few curly locks, allowing his green eyes to meet Louis' blue. It was then, that Louis noticed a bright yellow dandelion stuffed into the younger lad's curls, just above his left ear. "Harold Styles, your majesty," he replied, standing before the Prince.

The boy wore a white t-shirt that had been littered with dirt and grass stains and hung loosely from his thin fame. Protruding from the lowest v-neck that the Prince had ever seen, were two necklaces resting lightly upon a notable pair of collarbones. His jeans were a dark blue that had faded at the knees and he had on a pair of white converse that looked as if they'd walked the Trail of Tears..twice. Beside the beat up sneakers, was a basket full of gardening tools and within moments, Louis made the connection.

"He's the new gardener, " the Queen interjected and Harold bowed quickly before returning to his seat.

Louis nodded, eyeing the boy.

Taking advantage of the break from chaos, Eleanor spoke up. "If everyone would like to be seated, breakfast is served," she announced before seating herself. Looking up at Louis, she motioned for him to sit next to her.

Situating himself beside his fiancee, the Prince found himself sitting directly across from the green-eyed gardener.

The rest of the room followed their example, all except for Phoebe and Daisy who were still fighting over their doll. When Jay saw this, she smiled politely at Eleanor before beginning the countdown. "Daisy and Phoebe Tomlinson, five.." the Queen paused, watching them with an expectant expression.

The twin's looked at one another and giggled, but stopped suddenly when another number was called out.

"Four," Jay raised her brows as if to say "you don't want to be anywhere but this table when I get to number one." Clearing her throat, Queen Jay continued with, "Three."

Phoebe and Daisy exchanged nervous glances and soon enough, the twin's had dropped the doll and were hurrying over to their seats.

"Thank you," Jay said, smiling pleasantly.

Once everyone was seated, Athena placed a glass pitcher of orange juice and a small tray of buttered scones at the center of the table. Standing there for a moment, she chuckled along with everyone at the Queen's countdown before giving a polite curtsy and leaving the room.

"Shall we say a quick prayer?" asked Queen Jay.

The rest of the table nodded, awkwardly.

"Alright, let's join hands," Jay instructed, holding both Eleanor's hand with her right and Lottie's hand with her left.

Slowly, everyone joined hands and bowed their heads.

"Dear Heavenly Father," the Queen started.

Keeping his head down, Louis listened to his mother's prayer. As usual, she thanked the invisible man for their food, begged him to watch over friends and family, and finished with an enthusiastic, "Amen!"

"Amen," everyone repeated, lifting their heads and forks.

Harold's eyes were focused on his plate, shoulders slouched as he worked at his meal. Bringing the fork to his lips, he leaned in to the forkful and parted his pink lips. Slowly, his mouth grew wider and his tongue stuck out as he consumed the bit of eggs.

Louis took a bite of his own breakfast, eyeing the gardener's odd way of eating as he did so. He watched the younger boy's tongue poke out when approached by a mouthful of eggs and then disappear once the two met. Taking a swig of his orange juice, the Prince nearly choked when the curly-haired boy leaned with his tongue into his food, only to have it fall back onto his plate.

Immediately, Harold's green orbs flickered up to meet the Prince, who hadn't looked away fast enough. The gardener's face burned at the realization that he'd been watched.

Meanwhile, Eleanor was patting Louis' back and the Queen looked on worriedly.

Letting out a final cough, Prince Louis smiled at everyone and said, "Juice went down the wrong pipe, s'all. I'm fine now." Quickly, he leaned over, brushing a wavy strand from his fiancee's face and pecking her cheek.

Daisy and Phoebe giggled and Lottie rolled her eyes, but eventually everyone went back to what they were doing prior to the outburst. Everyone except for Harold, who was playing with his food rather than eating it, eyes still locked on the Prince.

"Eleanor, this is delicious. Well done," the Queen raved, taking a sip of her orange juice.

"I'm glad you like it," said the young brunette as she reached for the glass pitcher. Carefully, she poured herself another glass of the orange liquid, checking that everyone's glass was full before returning the pitcher to the table. Spotting an empty glass, Eleanor cleared her throat. "Harold, is it? Would you like another glass of orange juice?"

"Sure," Harold replied, holding out his glass. From beneath a few stray curls, the gardener watched as the juice was poured. "Thank you," he muttered, bringing the glass to his lips.

"Harold, dear. Tell us about yourself. Do you live far from here?" Queen Jay asked, biting into a scone.

Louis looked up from his plate.

The gardener set his glass down and shook his head, his curls bouncing slightly. "No, not far at all. I live about fifteen minutes away, actually."

"Oh, that's not far at all. Is it a nice place?"

"Yeah, I like it. It's not nearly as beautiful as this," the boy explained, looking around the extravagant kitchen, "but I like it. It's small, easy to manage. It's sort of in the middle of nowhere, so I don't get bothered by much of anything except for a pesky squirrel or two."

The Queen smiled. "That sounds lovely. Sometimes I wish we could live more privately. I think we all do," she spoke with a hint of sadness in her voice, but her eyes still sparkled. "So, do you live alone?"

Harold nodded.

Queen Jay raised her eyebrows, a bit surprised. "I'll be damned. A handsome boy like you without a lady on his arm," she paused, shaking her head, "that's a sin."

The boy chuckled, his cheeks turning from pale to pink. "Maybe it is," he shrugged.

"It is! You should get out there and start looking. There aren't too many good ones left. We got lucky with this one," Jay teased, lightly cupping Eleanor's cheek.

Eleanor beamed.

Harry shifted uncomfortably in his seat, still using his fork to maneuver what was left of his breakfast around his plate.

"In fact, if you ever need help finding the right woman, my husband and I would love to help. We could make an announcement just as we did for Louis here and -," the Queen was cut off by her son.

"Mum, will you quit interrogating him? You're putting the poor lad on the spot," the Prince exclaimed.

"Nonsense! Am I making you uncomfortable, Harold?" Jay asked.

Harold shook his head, "I'm fine, really."

"See?" the Queen shot Louis a knowing look. "So, what do you say? Would you like a match made by royalty?"

{To be continued…}


	4. Chapter 2, Pt. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS PART TWO OF CHAPTER TWO, NOT CHAPTER FOUR. i apologize for any confusion.
> 
> this chapter has taken me longer to write than i'd like to admit, but it's finished and i'm fairly pleased with the outcome. i'd love to hear any constructive criticism that you guys may have to offer, so please don't hesitate to leave a comment! i truly hope that i'm doing well in writing this! ah, i don't have anything else to say. leave comments, kudos, etc. pretty please & thank you. :)
> 
> enjoy chapter 2, part 2 of "The King of Carrot Flowers."

Louis gave his eyes a roll at his mother's prodding, dragging a cluster of eggs through the Hollandaise sauce before stuffing it into his mouth. "You don't have to answer that," the Prince murmured, still chewing. Jay shot him a warning look.

 

The gardener mouthed a silent "thank you" to the sandy-haired Prince and offered a kind smile, returning his gaze to Queen Jay. "Thank you very much for the offer, your highness. It would be an honor, but I'm afraid that I have no interest in finding a woman to settle down with."

 

Bringing his glass to his slightly-parted lips, Prince Louis observed the younger man while taking a slow sip of the orange liquid. Feeling eyes on him, Harold took a small sip of his own juice; his throat had gone dry under the scrutiny.

 

"I know that the idea of settling down seems frightening at your age, but you're only putting off the inevitable. Why go through trial and error with the wrong women when we can find you the right woman much sooner?" Jay questioned. Her tone radiated confidence in her matchmaking abilities.

 

"Will you let it go, mum?!" Louis tried again, this time raising his voice in attempt to end his mother's badgering.

 

"I'm just trying to help, don't you raise your voice at me, Louis Willia-" Jay started, but was cut off.

 

"Your highness, Prince Louis," the guest interjected, voice shaky as both pairs of eyes meet his. He coughed awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable with the direction this conversation was taking. "I appreciate the offer, your majesty, but," he paused, letting a few curls fall in front of his green orbs.

 

Louis' looked from the gardener to his mother, who looked about ready to interrupt the young man when the Prince caught her eye. Immediately, he stared back, letting his eyes do all the talking. "Let him finish," his cerulean eyes seemed to say, and shockingly enough the Queen bit her tongue.

 

"I must decline. The thing is, I have no interest in finding a woman to settle down with," he repeated, adding emphasis to get a message across. His eyes flickered to Daisy, Phoebe, Felicity, and Lottie; body tense as Lottie looks at him knowingly, and features slightly relaxed as she appears to be the only one of four to get the hint. Next, he glanced over at Eleanor; the young woman appeared to be unfazed, though it was obvious she had understood. Queen Jay was wide-eyed, mouth open in attempt to respond, and then shut when the words couldn't be found. Finally, there was Prince Louis, staring at him with an unreadable expression that resembled a possible combination of curiosity and awe. Harold's cheeks flushed.

 

Louis' felt himself smirk, finding it endearing how the gardener had become bashful at his admission. His amusement began to dissipate when the uncomfortable silence remained, and Harold's head was still lowered; the dandelion that had been stuffed between curls was now dangling loosely.

 

The gardener's head lifted, and the sudden movement brought all eyes back to him. He stood, offering a smile of gratitude. "Thank you all, I'll be getting back to work now." Green eyes, dart around the table, meeting no one's gaze. Finally, he locks eyes with Eleanor. "Breakfast was wonderful, thank you," he spoke with complete sincerity. Pushing in his chair, Harold took a bow; removing the dandelion from his mess of curls. With fascination, Louis watched the boy's green eyes soften and lips pull upward as he twirled the tiny weed between two of his long, pale fingers before dropping it onto his empty plate. He offered one last "thank you," jogged out the door with tools in hand, curls bouncing with every step. He wouldn't know it now, not while he was skipping in the opposite direction, but the Prince was smiling. Smiling, because of the shy gardener with big, green eyes, and flowers in his hair.

 

"He's pretty," Phoebe announced with wide grin.

 

Daisy giggled and nodded, excitedly. "Like a doll!" she quickly agreed.

 

Lottie rolled her eyes, and Felicity scoffed. "Boys aren't "pretty," Phoebe. They're handsome," Felicity corrected, causing both twins to stick out their tongues at her. Everyone gave a soft chuckle at that.

 

"Well then," Queen Jay spoke after being silent for sometime. "Girls, why don't you head upstairs, and clean yourselves up? I'll have Athena round up your dolls, and return them to your rooms."

 

Daisy and Phoebe seemed to like that idea; probably, because they wouldn't have to clean up the mess of hair and doll parts that they'd scattered across the kitchen floor. Moving away from their chairs, Phoebe took off down the hallway with Daisy not far behind. Felicity and Lottie followed suit, walking rather than racing down the hallway and up the flight of stairs. Though Louis wasn't a "girl" per say, he stood up from his chair anyway.

 

"Not so fast, young man. We have some things to discuss," spoke the Queen, motioning for him to be seated again. Louis slumped his shoulders, still standing up from his chair.

 

"What kinds of "things"?" the Prince inquired, irritation present in his tone.

 

Jay huffed. "I've invited a wedding planner to meet with us today, to help plan for the wedding."

 

Louis internally groaned. He wanted to go back to sleep, stomach full of Eggs Benedict and mind free of all things wedding-related. "Why do I have to be there?" the Prince asked, fully aware of how bratty he sounded. The Queen glared, and her son sighed. "Can I go shower then? We can save the wedding discussions for when the planner arrives."

 

Queen Jay sighed, and Louis was already cheering for his small victory. "Fine. Shower fast, she'll be here soon."

 

Prince Louis smiled, and gave Eleanor a quick peck on the cheek. "Thanks, love," he called back as he bolted to his room. The Queen and Eleanor exchanged glances, laughing at how eager the Prince had been to postpone the talk of his own wedding. Shaking their heads, they dove into their own discussion.

 

~~~

 

Closing his eyes, Louis relaxed; his hands plastered to the tiles on either side of the shower head. He stood like that for a while, beads of warm water meeting tanned skin. Rolling over shoulder blades, sliding into the curve of the lower-back, and stretching over golden hills, the water then fell to the floor before retreating down the drain.

 

It wasn't long before his mind began to wander. Memories, thoughts, and feelings acknowledged briefly, but none earning the Prince's complete focus. He remembered Eleanor on the first day they'd met, hesitant with a shy smile. He remembered the expressions Daisy and Phoebe wore when his fiancee had promised them new dolls. He remembered how "okay" he'd been with marrying the girl who'd made his sisters' smile, and mother proud. He remembered waking up that morning, unsure of this marriage and himself. He remembered a deep voice outside his window, replacing his uncertainty with curiosity. He remembered breakfast that morning, Eggs Benedict and a familiar voice. He remembered the gardener's confession, and laughed at how his mother had gone speechless. He lifts his head, his uncertainty returning as the water runs cold. Shivering, Louis shut the water off. He reached for his towel before pulling the shower's curtain back in a swift motion.

 

The towel rested loosely on the Prince's hips, chest bare as he moved from the bathroom and over to his walk-in closet. Ocean eyes skimmed the closet's contents before a shirt and pants were tugged from their hangers. The shirt was white with a pattern of sky blue birds; the sleeves were short and front was buttoned-up, a navy blue pair of jeans completing the outfit. Clothes in hand, Louis made his way to where beams of sunlight were infiltrating his room.

 

He peered out at the gardens below, noting how the majority of flowerbeds were overgrown and unkempt with the exception of one. Harold was hunched over, using bare hands to spread mulch, and cleaning them on his shirt once the bed was covered completely. The Prince chuckled at the newest shades of green and brown that had been smudged over the white, and watched as the gardener wiped the sweat from his forehead. Allowing himself to air dry, Louis lost himself in the younger man and the magic he was working on the garden below.

 

Unaware as to how long he'd been mesmerized by the gardener, his mother's shout to "hurry up" had taken him by surprise. He spun around, double-checking that he was still alone, and his mother hadn't just barged in. Standing by the window, letting sun wash over his features, and watching as Harold trimmed the overgrown plants into shape had felt like a couple minutes at best; running a hand through his now dry hair told him otherwise.

 

Slowly, Louis began unbuttoning his shirt. He wasn't looking forward to what today had planned for him. Conducting seating charts, coordinating floral arrangements, and researching vendors; the Prince wasn't needed for any of it. What he wanted do was lounge around the castle, pull pranks on Atticus, or maybe visit the stables and go for a ride. Instead, he'd be forced to endure hours of planning and research; all work and no play.

 

He turned, returning his gaze to the gardens below. Blue eyes met a pair of green, and Louis felt his face flush. He'd been caught staring, and was silently cursing himself for it; the embarrassment did subside, however, when Harold gave a dimpled smile and a wave. Louis waved back, hurrying away from the window as the realization hit that he was still in a towel.

 

Prince Louis moved with haste, shoving arms into sleeves and legs into pant legs before slipping on some white Vans; he left his room and took to the stairs, buttoning his shirt as he went.

 

~~~

 

Louis spent over an hour trailing behind Eleanor, Jay, and Ellen, the wedding planner, through the gardens; not really participating in whatever they were discussing. Occasionally, he'd show that he was listening by offering a nod or a smile, but he realized that he didn't even to pretend. The three women were busily chatting about different types of flowers and the different colors they come in; they decided on an arrangement of snow peas, tulips, and roses, in a color scheme of reds, pinks, and white.

 

With the floral arrangement settled, Ellen motioned for them to follow her inside; she had dirty-blonde hair that blew past her shoulders as she walked, and a pair of piercing brown eyes that glanced back every so often. The Prince gave a smirk as the woman ushered him back into his own home, and squinted in order to read the clock across the room. Judging by the time the clock read, he'd been forced to endure about two hours of mind-numbing conversation. He sighed at the realization, holding in the groan that longed to escape him. He was suddenly feeling very trapped and wanted out, which is why he was eager to respond to what his mother said next.

 

"Athena, would you be so kind as to bring a snack and cool glass of lemonade to our gardener? He's working awfully hard out there."

 

Louis, quickly interjected with, "Why don't I take care of that? I could use the fresh air."

 

"Weren't you just outsi-" Athena began, but stopped herself short when the Prince shot her a warning look. She gave a slight nod, suddenly understanding.

 

The Queen looked from Louis to Athena, and shrugged. "Alright, go on then. Hurry back!"

 

The Prince grinned. Darting around the kitchen, he slapped two pieces of bread together, one smeared with peanut butter and the other with raspberry jelly, and almost spilled the lemonade he while pouring it into a tall glass. Carefully this time, he slid the sandwich and drink onto a tray, and ventured back to the gardens.

 

~~~

 

Louis traveled down the walkway leading into the castle's gardens, trying his best to avoid dropping the tray and all of its contents. Not far off, he could hear the gardener singing the song he'd heard earlier; he followed it to its source, where it led him to a flowerbed settled along the path itself. Approaching the bed, the sandy-haired man came to a halt about two feet away from the man kneeling in a sea of brown. Cerulean eyes watched as pale hands rummaged through a basket nearby, and the song faded into soft humming. Louis took this opportunity to speak up.

 

"Tell me, do you know any other songs?" Louis teased. The gardener tensed, clearly surprised to find that he was no longer alone. After a moment to recover, his hands went back to sifting through the tools; Harold didn't need to turn around to know who the voice belonged to.

 

"I know many," Harold remarked.

 

"Just thought I'd ask, considering it's the only song I've heard you sing all day.. Harold, is it?"

 

Removing a trowel from the basket, he turned slightly; his green eyes peered up through the curls that covered the majority of his forehead, some clinging to it with sweat. "Harry," he corrected, his brows furrowing. "When have you heard me sing?"

 

"This morning, I heard you singing out here. I was sleeping and my bedroom window was open," the Prince explained. He motioned across the shallow pond that sat only a few feet away, and above a small hill where his bedroom window could be seen between two trees. Harry made the connection, and smirked.

 

"That's your bedroom? I think I saw you standing in that window earlier," Harry mentioned. Louis felt his cheeks flush, but he willed the sensation away.

 

"Yeah, I was just checking out the gardens. It's a nice view," the Prince added. The gardener lifted a brow, a ghost of a smile playing at his full, pink lips. Louis' face started to grow warm again, and the tray was becoming heavy; he looked over to the tray and back to Harry, remembering why he was out there to begin with. "Uh, this is for you," the Prince changed the subject and set the tray beside the flowerbed.

 

The gardener watched as the Prince set out a sandwich and lemonade, pleasantly surprised that his new job came with lunch. Shifting from the bed of flowers to where his lunch had been placed on the grass, Harry smiled up at Prince Louis before taking a large bite of his sandwich and easily chugging half of his lemonade. "This is... delicious, thank you," the boy with curls muttered between bites of his PB&J. He didn't mind the feeling of eyes on him as he swallowed the last bite, lifting a confused gaze to the Prince. "Don't you, like, have maids for this or something?"

 

Louis chuckled. "Of course we do! It's just.. I've had enough wedding planning for one day.. or lifetime. I had to get away for a while."

 

"Come on!" Harry shouted, causing the Prince to look upon him with wide eyes. "It couldn't have been that bad."

 

"It definitely was!" Louis countered, plopping down to meet the gardener at eye-level. "They were discussing floral arrangements. I had to sit there while they went over the different types if flowers. Can you imagine anything worse?" 

 

Harry bit his lip, failing to repress a grin that his dimples had already made obvious. "Well, actually," he murmured, lifting the trowel from the ground and waving it at the Prince. Louis mentally-slapped himself.

 

Letting a nervous laugh escape him, he shook his head as he felt a familiar rush flow to his cheeks. "Bloody brilliant!," he groaned in disbelief. "There's nothing wrong with flowers or anything, I just don't understand their importance in a wedding. They're just for decoration."

 

Green orbs shined incredulously at Prince Louis' words, and Harold couldn't help his slight jaw drop. "Just decoration?! Pardon me, my Prince, but you have no idea what you're talking about. Flowers are many things, the least important of them being how aesthetically pleasing they are. They're able to communicate for us, when we can't find the right words. Red tulips; a declaration of love, Lavender; distrust, Orange Blossom; fertility, Red and White Roses; unity, Purple tulips; royalty, and so on. These beautiful, fragile things are able to convey some of our strongest emotions when we, ourselves, are incapable. Flowers speak volumes without saying a word. They're.. magical."

 

Louis was taken aback by the outburst, finding himself enthralled by the passion behind it all. He smiled at the gardener, feeling both amused and impressed. "Wow, that was.."

 

"Sorry." Harry ducked his head in attempt to hide his blush, but that only made Louis' grin widen.

 

"Sorry? Harry, that was amazing! You were so passionate, and I think that's cool. Everyone should have something they're passionate about. That was awesome," Louis assured, complete sincerity in his tone. The gardener's lifted his head, dimpled smile and eyes glistening.

 

"Oh, well, erm.. I'm glad you enjoyed that."

 

"It was hard not to," Louis shrugged.

 

"Louis William! We are not nearly finished in here, so come now! We need to decide on a cake!" Queen Jay called. Louis rolled his eyes, gathering up the tray as he stood. 

 

"Duty calls," he muttered with a small smile and sad eyes. Harold nodded in understanding, offering a sympathetic smile before returning to the bed of mulch. "See ya tomorrow, Harry!" the Prince said over his shoulder. 

 

"See you tomorrow, my Prince," Harry whispered, beaming brightly to himself.


End file.
